When I popped in to the Lake Chapala Society to cover the installation of the Before I Die bucket list wall, a picked up a handful of the memorial cards that were made up for the  November 1 Celebration of Life ceremony.

I sat down in the cafeteria for a cup of morning joe while jotting down the names of lost family and friends close to my heart. I quickly came to the realization that most of the beloved people who made up my earliest inner circle of lakeside amigos and amigas are now among the dearly departed. And many of them are totally unknown to a great number of contemporary expat residents.

While many newcomers may be familiar with the name Neill James, and perhaps Zara la Rusa, who among them have a clue about ardent anti-litter campaigner Juanita la Japonesa, or the late Chili Cookoff founders Morley Eager, Joan Frost, Mickey Church and Reni Rice?

Have they ever heard of my late husband Wayne Palfrey who introduced bilingual education to lakeside? Or former Guadalajara Reporter publisher/editor Allyn Hunt, mentor of my career in journalism?

Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.